Beyond Hearing Loss: Visiting Namibia Part 1 2013-2013

THIS PART OF MY BLOG WILL BE A TRAVELOGUE OF OUR VISIT TO NAMIBIA.

I AM USING ALL CAPS FOR THE BENEFIT OF SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS WHO HAVE VISION CHALLENGES.

PART ONE: PRETORIA TO AUGRABIES

NOTE: THIS WILL BE A DAY BY DAY TRAVELOGUE WITH ADDED PHOTOS TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCES OF OUR WONDERFUL TRIP TO NAMIBIA IN 2012 AND THE FIRST WEEK OF 2013. AT THE END OF THE BLOG YOU WILL FIND A SLIDE SHOW OF ALL THE PHOTOS.

THE "BIRD" CLOUD

THE BEGINNING OF A VERY VERY LONG TRIP

WE DEPARTED AT ABOUT 3 AM FROM PRETORIA SINCE THE FIRST LEG OF THE TRIP WAS A VERY LONG DRIVE TO AUGRABIES PARKS FALLS IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE.

MOST PHOTO’S WERE TAKEN FROM THE CAR . SUNRISE WAS BEAUTIFUL AND MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS OF A CLOUD FORMATION THAT LOOKED LIKE A HUGE BIRD OR MAYBE A PLANE… SYMBOLIZING “BON VOYAGE” FOR ME. AS WE TRAVELED ALONG I TOOK NUMEROUS PHOTOS OF THE LANDSCAPES TOO AND OF COURSE BIG SKY PHOTO’S THAT I LOVE SHOWING VARIOUS CLOUD FORMATIONS.

THE SUN WAS RISING 'AT OUR BACKS " AND
I ENJOYED SEEING IT IN THE CAR MIRROR

ON THE WAY WE ALSO TRAVELLED ALONG THE GARIEP RIVER WHEN WE REACHED THE NORTHERN CAPE. THE RIVER IS A WONDERFUL GREEN OASIS IN THE BARREN LANDSCAPE AND IS THE SOURCE OF NUMEROUS VINEYARDS AND ALSO THE FRUIT BASKET FOR SOUTH AFRICA’S WONDERFUL DRIED FRUIT. THIS TIME OF THE YEAR THE GRAPES RIPEN BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET STARTED THE DRYING PROCESS FOR SULTANAS AND RAISINS. WE DID BUY SOME OF THE EARLY GRAPES AT AUGRABIES PARK. THEY WERE GOOD :-)

VINEYARDS ALONG THE GARIEP (ORANGE) RIVER

SOMEWHERE ALONG THE ROAD IN THE NORTHERN CAPE KALIE STOPPED TO HAVE HIS MEDS AND INSULIN WHILE I NOTICED A LOT OF SMALL BUTTERFLIES ON THE SMALL STONES. OF COURSE THE CAMERA CAME OUT AND I MANAGED TO GET A FEW CLOSE UP SHOTS OF THEM AND SAW THAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE NOT ALL WHITE BUT A VERY SOFT GREEN.

IT WAS VERY HOT WHEN ARRIVING AT AUGRABIES PARK AND WE WERE JUST SO THANKFUL FOR A NICE CHALET WITH AIR CONDITIONING. WE HAD THE LEFTOVERS FROM THE “PADKOS” FOR SUPPER AFTER DRIVING A SHORT WAY TO CAPTURE THE FABULOUS SUNSET. THE 7 SUNSET PHOTOS SHOWS HOW THE HEAVENS CHANGED BEFORE THE SUN EVENTUALLY WENT DOWN.